Here Comes the Money: How to Bet on ‘WrestleMania 32’

We’ve made it, wrestling fans. We’ve zipped through Fastlane and avoided the Roadblock, taken the good with the booty, survived that month where Sheamus was champ – and we’ve finally arrived at WrestleMania.

OK, so it’s not actually happening until Sunday, but you can understand my enthusiasm –‘Mania is unquestionably the biggest event of the sports entertainment year, a blockbuster that truly has something for everyone. If you’re a sucker for spectacle, good news, the Undertaker will be making his annual epic entrance. For the pro graps purists, there’s Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn competing in the same match (albeit with five other dudes). And for those with a flair for the occasional wager, I’ve got good news: You can bet on WrestleMania.

Yes, even though WWE is scripted, there’s nothing stopping you from laying some money on the outcomes of the Sunday night’s matches. And before you scoff at the idea, just think back to Wrestlemania XXX, where Brock Lesnar went into his match against ‘Taker as a decided underdog, only to break both the Dead Man’s undefeated streak and the bank. So as we count down the hours until Sunday’s Super Bowl of Sports Entertainment, here are some last-minute bets that could have you tossing cash like Ted DiBiase.

Unless noted, all odds courtesy of the Bovada.lv Sportsbook.

Ryback vs. Kalisto for the U.S. Championship
This match had no real build – aside from Kalisto “upsetting” the Big Guy in last year’s World title tournament – and will probably end up on the WrestleMania preshow, but that doesn’t mean you can’t bet on it. WWE was able to catch lightning in a bottle with Kalisto, capitalizing on his crazy TLC spot and pushing him into the U.S. title picture. His acrobatic style has gotten him over with the younger set, and WWE seems determined to do everything they can to make him look good in this match, win or lose. If you tell me that Kalisto ends up scoop slamming Ryback at some point, I could certainly buy it (and probably bet on it, too). And yet, we all know how Vince McMahon feels about beefy dudes, and there are few beefier than Ryback, who has shown a vicious side – and some heelish tendencies – during his run to this match. The odds have Kalisto as a slight favorite at -150, but if you wanted to take a leap on Ryback as a value play at +110, I wouldn’t blame you. But in my eyes, this one will be about giving Kalisto a major moment as WWE attempts to make him a true superstar.

The bet: Kalisto (-120)

The Usos vs. The Dudley Boyz
I’m still surprised these teams weren’t folded into a 4-Way for the Tag Team titles, though the recent run of strong mic work from the Dudleys – leaning heavily on a persona that is largely reminiscent of Cactus Jack’s heel work in ECW – has been a highlight of their otherwise mediocre return. While this probably isn’t the ‘Mania moment that the two were hoping for, it will be nice to see them at Mania for the first time in 12 years.

Bovada didn’t release odds for this one, and the few sites that have appear to be split on the favorite. Right now, you can get the Usos at -250, and the Dudleys at +165. In many cases, that would make D-Von and Bubba Ray a nice value play; however, regular gamblers are familiar with something called the “Smell Test,” wherein they look for a line that doesn’t make a lot of sense and bet accordingly, thinking that those who set the lines know better than the public. In this case I will lean on that principle.

The bet: The Usos (-250)

Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal
For the past two years, this is where gamblers have been able to clean up at WrestleMania. Last year, Big Show won at 12/1. The year before, Cesaro wasn’t even on the board and came away with the win. This year doesn’t seem to be quite as wide-open, thanks mainly to the rash of injuries on the roster. Quite frankly, it’s probably the Wyatt Family vs. everyone else, though it’s not leader Bray Wyatt who is the favorite…it’s Braun Strowman, at +125. Vince McMahon was rumored to be very high on the massive monster, though he’s supposedly tempered his enthusiasm in recent weeks, and thrown the outcome of this match back into doubt.

So will it be one of the so-called “surprise” entrants – like NXT’s Samoa Joe (+1000) or returning WWE stars Randy Orton (+800) or Cesaro – who wins the big dumb trophy? Maybe, though my money would be on another wild card: Mark Henry, a +600 bet, who is rumored to be retiring soon. Could he be rewarded for his service with a victory here? Maybe, but in a pinch, I’ll go with Bray. Dude doesn’t have anything else to do.

The bet: Bray Wyatt (+500)